Ktziot Prison in Israel. Image by Wikimedia

(JTA) — Israeli authorities are considering bringing in foreign doctors to force-feed Palestinian hunger strikers if Israeli doctors continue to resist taking part in the practice.

The Israel Medical Association has advised its members not to participate in any force-feeding, deeming the practice to be inhumane. Israel’s Channel 2 reported Thursday that the government would seek doctors from a specific, unidentified country to feed prisoners at risk of losing their lives.

Some 850 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails are still taking part in the strike, now in its 20th day. Led by Marwan Barghouti, a popular leader of the Fatah movement serving life terms for his involvement in terrorist attacks that killed five people, the strikers are demanding better prison conditions and seeking to expose what they call Israel’s illegal system for arresting and trying Palestinians.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office supported legislation allowing physicians to feed prisoners against their will, saying the government is obligated to save the lives of prisoners in its system.

Earlier this week, the Health Ministry ordered physicians who refuse to force-feed strikers to find another physician willing to treat the patients, Haaretz reported. The IMA rejected this order as well, saying it is not customary for doctors to find a replacement if they demur on ethical grounds.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount